Upright piano



(No Modem 2 'Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. E. RICHARDSON & J. A. WARREN.

UPRIGHT PIANO.

N0. 357,291 I Patented Feb. 8,1887;

\NITNESSES:

an. @1 1 /9 WM.

INVENTORS.

we g

N. PETEfi5,. khan; nnnn n nnnnnnnnnnnnnn 0 c (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet2. J. E. RICHARDSON .& J. A. WARREN.

UPRIGHT PIANO.

Patented Feb. 8, 1887.

'INVENTORS.

ATTEST.

5 Phm gnhn n nm, Washingwn. n c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. RICHARDSON AND JOSEPH A. \VARREN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

UPRIG HT PDIANO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,291, dated February8, 1887.

Application filed March 30, 1886. Serial No. 197.209. (No model.)

' invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use thesame,reference beinghad to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Heretofore cases for upright pianos have been constructed with hingedtops made in one piece and with tops in two pieces, and to increase thevolume of sound said tops are propped up or folded back,which isdetrimental, as the using of the top of the instrument for books andornaments is prevented. Pianos have also been constructed with asunken-panel top adapted to slide back to increase the sound, which hasa like objection. The construction of a rocking or swinging front isobjectionable, as the turning back of the part exposes the works of theinstrument, leaving an unfinished appearance.

The obj ect of our present invention is to overcome these objections,which we accomplish by locating in the top Vertical front of theinstrument a curved or ornamental sliding front panel, the volume ofsound being increased by simply forcing the sliding front under the topof the instrument, leaving its finished or ornamental front in full viewto the operator, as hereinafter set forth; and our invention con sistsin the general arrangement of parts, as hereinafter set forth, andpointed out in the claim.

In the drawings forming apartof this specification, Figure 1 is a frontelevation of an instrument embodying ourinvention. Fig. 2 is a'cross-section of same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing in section theoperating parts of the sliding front or panel. Fig. 4 is a perspectivein modification, having parts broken away. Fig. 5 is top plan, havingcover Tremoved. Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged details.

T is the top of the instrument,which may be employed as a mantel orsupport for ornaments or music, and is made detachable.

two supporting or sliding arms, a a, extending backward horizontally, asshown in Fig. 3. The under face of each arm is provided with alongitudinal V-shaped channel, 0. (See Fig. 3.) Said arms are closelyfitted over metalV-sh aped slides a. Said slides or tracks are firmlyattached to the supporting-board O, which can tends from end to end ofthe instrument. BB are caps fitting over the sliding arms, and areprovided with ledges a a, through which the screws 8 pass, securing thecap to the support ing-board, as shown in Fig. 3. The caps BB allow freemovement of the arms a aback and forward when operating the front F, andalso prevent the rear ends of the arms from tilting up as the front isclosed or drawn forward to the position of Fig. 1, which also causes themovable front F to travel ona trueplane, preventing its sagging, andalso prevents any transverse or binding movement of the front as it isforced backward and forward to increase or decrease the tone of theinstrument.

It is a handle for operating the movable front, which is attached at thecenter.

When the front F is forced back, as shown in Fig. 2, the operator isenabled to reach through the opening and disengage the rear side of thefront board, D, to remove the same without taking off the top of theinstrument, as is common.

It will be observed from the foregoing construction that the endportions of the movable front are free from contact with the ends of theinstrument; hence there is no friction and no tendency to bind or causethe front to impinge while being moved.

It will also be observed that the same finished or ornamented front ofthe movable part is in full view of the operator in any ofits positions.

In Fig.4 we show the sliding panel suspended is made of metal and worksin the two-part box B B, in which represents Babbitt metal The arm a isattached to the head m by means of the screw sflwhich passes into saidarm. The

head at is attached to the back face of the movable panel or frontF byscrews through the holes 6 e. The metal arm a has a long bearing in thebox B when the frontis drawn forward, as in Figs. 4 and 5, to preventsaid panel from sagging, and forms a perfect and true guide as the panelis moved backward and forward, whereby both ends of the panel or frontare caused to move at the same degree. The handle being placed at thecenter, there is no end pressure or binding of parts.

In Fig. 4 we show the face of the front F slightly concaved, and locateit entirely under the detachable top T. In said view we show a squarearm, a, which we turn so that its faces stand on a diagonal line to itsvertical center. The channel-walls of each box B stand at right anglesto each other, and when placed together, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7,receive freely said arm. By this arrangement the ends of the slidingfront are prevented from tilting up or down, and it gives also a broadhorizontal bearing to the arm a.

Having thus fully set forth our present invention, what we claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

' In an upright piano, the movable vertical front carrying an arm, saidarm being attached to the center of said movable front and adapted toslide within the boxing mounted on the sup port-ingboard, said movablefront located and adapted to be operated below the detachable cover, asand for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN E. RICHARDSON. JOSEPH A. WARREN.

Witnesses:

G. I. VVARREN, R. B. WHEELER.

